If you've been making coffee with a drip coffee maker or percolator for many years, switching over to a k-cup or pod-style coffee brewer can come with a bit of a learning curve. But never fear — with the tips below, you can ease the transition, and brewing with a pod-style coffee maker will soon feel like second nature.

Buy your pods in smaller quantities.

It may be tempting to buy a large number of coffee pods at a time in an effort to save money. But this can backfire, especially when you're new to using a pod-style coffee maker. Instead, buy enough pods for a few weeks at a time. This way, your coffee won't go stale before you use it. Also, if you find that you don't enjoy a particular brand or type of coffee pod, you won't have too many to use up.

Filter your water.

Pod-style coffee makers heat the water up to nearly boiling. This is not always hot enough to cause all of the chlorine residue in the water to evaporate. So, if the water out of your tap is heavily chlorinated, you might still get a little chlorine flavor in your finished coffee. The best solution to this problem is to either filter your water or use bottled water to make your coffee.

Find your perfect setting for each type of coffee pod.

Most pod-style coffee makers have three different settings. The larger the volume, the weaker the coffee. You might have a different preference for each type of coffee pod that you buy. So, when you buy a new kind of coffee pod, try your first three cups on different settings. See which one you like best for that pod. When you try a different kind of pod, you may then find you prefer that coffee stronger or weaker.

Take the pod out as soon as you're done.

After you make a cup of coffee, remove and dispose of the used pod immediately. If you let the pod sit in there for too long, then the machine's injectors may become clogged up and grimy, which will decrease the quality of your coffee and impart unwanted flavors into your coffee.

Switching over to a pod-style coffee maker is fun. You will enjoy being able to make one cup of coffee at a time, especially when you use the tips above to your benefit.